On the pretense of goodwill, King Miriard of Avalon visited Spada alongside his son, First Prince Nero, and daughter, First Princess Nel.
Meanwhile, in the royal castle garden, the newly engaged Wilhart, the Second Prince of Spada, was deepening his bond with Princess Nel while First Prince Nero reunited with his childhood friend, Charlotte, the Third Princess of Spada, warming up their old friendship.
“Eeeh! Nerooo!”
“I get it, I get it, so just calm down already!”
Hearing just the lines might give it an inappropriate feel, but Charlotte, screaming in distress, was clinging tightly to Nero and would not let go. Despite the Princess being a beautiful girl in her prime crying as she clung to him, the situation lacked any dramatic atmosphere because Charlotte’s outburst was nothing more than a childish tantrum.
“Uuu… I, I don’t want to be separated from Nero…”
“It’s okay, just calm down.”
Nero, who generally exhibited a dry demeanor towards others unlike Nel, patiently tried to soothe Charlotte, his childhood friend of over a decade, albeit reluctantly.
After sitting on a large sofa and stroking Charlotte’s striking red hair for about an hour… it seemed she finally got tired of crying and began to calm down.
“Crying too much, don’t you think?”
“B-but… it’s been so long since I saw Nero and… um…”
“Ah, I understand. It’s only natural to cry and fuss about it.”
There was indeed a valid reason for Charlotte’s tears.
That was the sudden engagement to the adventurer Chrono.
“Hey, why did this happen!”
“Why, you ask… I don’t even know how much of this is true.”
The push for Charlotte and Chrono’s engagement was said to come from Spada’s Pandora Temple.
Doubts surrounding whether Chrono himself was the prince of Daedalus.
Suspicion about Spada’s ambitions.
Ultimately, who wished for Chrono and Charlotte’s union the most?
“Say, haven’t you heard anything?”
“I don’t know… No matter how much I question my father, he only says that this is what’s best for Spada.”
At the very least, the will of King Leonhart was likely not so weak as to change just because his daughter cried.
This meant that there must be a solid reason for welcoming Chrono as a son-in-law, a reason substantial enough to convince the steadfast King Leonhart and align with Spada’s national interests.
“Oh, but…”
“What is it?”
“The Dark Gods also bless it, he said. My father doesn’t usually say such things. I thought maybe there was a really good omen from the temple or something.”
Charlotte surely couldn’t believe that they decided on the engagement just based on a mere fortune-telling.
However, for Nero… he felt a strong aversion as if his fate was being twisted in a direction he did not desire by the Dark Gods, beings named “gods.”
Gods, gods, gods. Whenever he made an irretrievable mistake, there was always some god involved.
Thus, he had stopped praying to the gods. The name of the ancient Demon King, Mia Elroad, the progenitor of the Avalon royal family, was also something he found distasteful.
He would neither pray to nor rely on gods. He would carve out his own fate by his own strength. In the direction he desired. To never lose again.
Even if Chrono received immense power from some evil gods—Nero would absolutely not lose to such things because they were, after all, such things.
“Alright, I understand. Charlotte, don’t worry, I would never let you go to Chrono.”
“Uu, Nero…”
Charlotte gazed at him with misty eyes as he declared firmly.
“From the information I’ve gathered, it seems that guy is heading away from Spada to Karamala right now. That’s at the far end of Pandora, so it will take a considerable amount of time for him to return. Therefore, a ceremony shouldn’t be able to take place immediately, so don’t worry.”
“Okay!”
“In the meantime, I’ll make sure this engagement can be nullified. I don’t know what the circumstances are, but both King Leonhart and my father are serious about this, so it won’t be easy, but I’ll definitely find a way… in the worst-case scenario.”
“W-what will you do?”
“I’ll help you, even if I have to kidnap you.”
Upon hearing those words, Charlotte gazed at Nero with a heated face, almost as if from fever, and, seemingly resolved, closed her eyes and leaned in towards him—
“Stop it, Charlotte. Right now, we’re just childhood friends.”
One could not know where the watchful eyes might be. This was Spada Royal Castle, effectively enemy territory.
Even though she was an already-engaged princess, it would be prohibited for even the First Prince of Avalon to make unnecessary advances.
On top of that, the current situation was already bad. He didn’t want to do anything that could worsen his standing.
“Muuh… fine, I’ll endure it.”
“Charlotte, just do what you always do without overthinking. You’re a knight in the Second Army ‘Tempest’ now, right? That suits you well.”
Shaking off the sultry atmosphere, Nero casually said while affectionately ruffling Charlotte’s hair like a child.
Though somewhat dissatisfied, Charlotte soon broke into a joyful smile in response.
“Yeah! I will lead the future Spada army as Lady General!”
“Ah, good luck with that.”
“Ahhh, you’re making fun of me, aren’t you?!”
“I’m not!”
Thus, Nero and Charlotte, while still in the throes of their playful banter, were just as they had been when they attended the School of the Gods together.
Meanwhile, the engaged Princess Nel and Prince Wilhart were deepening their bond in solitude, discussing their plans to achieve their respective objectives.
“To know the enemy and to know oneself is to win a hundred battles without danger… this is a famous tactical saying recorded in the runes.”
Similar maxims about information as a lesson abound in various locations of Pandora, a fairly standard notion.
“And love is war… this is likely a well-known sentiment passed down in Avalon.”
It is widely known that the ancient Demon King Mia Elroad had seven wives, a historical fact substantiated by various histories from across nations and ancient texts excavated from dungeons. Moreover, all seven have become goddesses of war, providing blessings in the present day.
In other words, what happens when seven incredibly powerful women capable of incredible combat prowess gather to compete for one man?
It is said that it is precisely due to having settled this conflict that Mia was able to be acknowledged as a Demon King, or so the theory goes.
“I say plainly that Princess Nel lacks even the motivation to analyze information for winning a war, let alone the determination to win by any means necessary!”
“That, that’s not true! I’m making an effort every day to make Chrono-kun turn his attention towards me!”
In direct response to Wilhart’s strong assertion, Nel spread her wings in protest, visibly indignant.
However, Wilhart did not back down.
“No, no! Not only is it lacking, it’s completely nonexistent! You could even say it’s zero!!”
“That’s not true!”
“Then let me ask you, what is it that constitutes a man’s heart?!”
“Ugh!?”
Nel suddenly fell speechless.
“Moreover, what good is your ancient martial arts, polished enough to slay a dragon barehanded, in matters of love and romance!!”
“Ugu!?”
Nel’s face began to turn pale, her breath caught in her throat.
“Admit it, Princess Nel. You, who know nothing about the heart of the enemy, nor about your own romantic power, are clueless.”
“Uu… but… I’m studying a little…!”
“Oh? Is that about this trending romance novel?”
Wilhart lifted a book with a knowing expression, its cute light pink cover catching Nel’s attention. The title read “Selene’s Love Letters.”
“Oh, I read that the other day! It’s a wonderful work, and I could really relate to its delicate depiction of love!”
It was a classic, elegant story of love dedicated to all women.
“Even so, I take pride in being a decent reader myself. I dabble even in women’s romance novels to a certain extent; thus, yes, this ‘Selene’s Love Letters’ can surely be rated as a masterpiece.”
Set in Selene, the largest port town in Avalon, it prominently features the romance between a heroine, the sole daughter of a rising trade merchant, and a young adventurer.
Beginning with their sweet, awkward beginnings, the young adventurer departs from Selene’s harbor to travel across the continent in pursuit of fame. Despite being far apart from each other, they maintain a fragile connection through exchanging letters, thinking of one another even when they are not together. However, their situation drastically changes when the heroine’s engagement to an Avalon noble is suddenly arranged. Should she marry the noble for her family’s sake or follow her love, even when her beloved is so far away across the sea of Lemuria? What will come of their love—?
“Nevertheless, from a simple man’s perspective, this kind of view on romance is rubbish.”
“What… what do you mean?!”
“Well, it’s fine for women to yearn for this beautiful love story, but at the same time, it’s also fine for men to get fed up with such annoyingly complicated romantic affairs.”
“It’s not complicated! Just the fact that they’re connected by a single letter makes their feelings strong above all!”
“Sigh… the young man of promise possessing the legendary sword skills. Plus, he’s got silver hair, odd-colored eyes, and is tall and strikingly handsome—how can one say he won’t attract other women during his travels?”
If it weren’t for the silver hair and handsome setting, one might think the young adventurer could hardly be different from Chrono, who plays the male lead. The remarkable abilities that he displays raise questions on why other women wouldn’t appear in his life. The emphasis on encounters with other handsome adventurer companions seemed like blatant pandering.
“That’s wrong; they truly love each other with all their hearts!”
“Well, fine, at least in the book, that’s established as the truth. However, how about the real Chrono?”
Chrono had already boldly declared a harem.
The man Nel longed for wasn’t conveniently free like those in women’s romance novels; neither was he the type to exclusively gaze at just her with single-minded devotion.
However, if such a harem were simply born from lust, the narrative would have been much simpler…
“I believe Chrono’s view on romance is quite pure. Yet at the same time, he is undoubtedly a healthy man.”
Nel had no objections to Wilhart’s assessment. She felt the same way from their interactions, and it became one of the reasons why she was drawn to him.
“Thus, knowing the general male heart will certainly prove powerful in understanding Chrono’s psyche.”
“I…I see… but how am I supposed to learn about that male heart… I have no idea.”
Understanding male hearts, or male psychology, is something Belmont, the black dragon shrine maiden, could not provide. After all, she is a 250-year-old maiden still active. Having turned down all romantic experiences for the sake of her fate, she might well be said to be more purely cultivated than Princess Nel when it comes to matters of love.
Moreover, the other potential advisor, Celis, also couldn’t be considered well-versed in matters of men. Although she had a fiancé, the nature of their relationship remained at the level of school senior and junior. When it came to romance experience, Nel and Celis were pretty much on par.
“Don’t worry; I have a suitable book to help learn about the male heart. First, here you go.”
With a thud, Nel’s eyes widened at the sight of the book presented before her.
“Kyah! W-what is this indecent book!?”
While it had a cover reminiscent of “Selene’s Love Letters,” it depicted an unnaturally large-bosomed cute silver-haired girl despite her youth. Her disproportionately voluptuous body was clad in a daring outfit that left little to the imagination, further heightened by provocative poses emphasizing her chest. With an inviting expression, adorned with horns, wings, and a tail, she bore the appearance of a succubus.
The title read “Prim’s Temptation: How I Was Forced to Rise from Being the Weakest to the Strongest After Being Targeted by a Loli Big-Breasted Demon.”
“That’s the worst!”
Nel reached her limit upon reading up to the part where it said “targeted by a loli big-breasted demon” and threw the book, its inappropriate cover and even more inappropriate title causing her to recoil.
“Ah! Hey, don’t throw a teenage boy’s holy book! That’s a treasured read of mine!”
“I’ve lost all respect for you, Wilhart Tristan Spada, the Second Prince.”
“Please stop using my full name with that disdainful look.”
With a slightly pained expression, Wilhart picked up the precious book of his youth from the floor.
After dusting off the cover and clearing his throat, he turned back toward Nel.
“Listen, this single book contains the essence of what makes a male heart tick.”
“…”
Nel’s gaze remained icy. It felt even colder than it did at the beginning of their conversation, where she was contemplating killing him.
“Believe me, I did not show you this book out of malice. Just as women admire ‘Selene’s Love Letters,’ so too do young men yearn for ‘Prim’s Temptation’.”
“Please stop saying that title in full. It’s offensive to my ears.”
“No, the long title is a revolutionary technique to catch the eyes of readers among numerous rival books—”
“I can’t bear to listen to this.”
Suddenly, an aura of magical power radiated from Nel…
“Indeed, young men desire this ‘Prim’s Temptation.’”
Somehow, he succeeded in steering the conversation back on track.
“You want me to… read this?”
“Learn well what men enjoy by reading this.”
“I can’t believe it! Chrono-kun would never… That’s a crime!”
“Chrono would surely prefer that someone approach him by any means possible rather than an agonizing exchange of chaste love letters.”
“N-no way, that’s indecent!”
Nel’s face turned bright red, completely forgetting her previous request for Chrono to “ embrace her.”
Even if the effect of the “Potion of Forgetfulness” had worn off, being turned down after she made an advance on him would now be seen as a cursed memory for Nel, especially when her beloved was embraced by another woman.
“Essentially, unless you approach him somewhat forcefully, Chrono himself won’t notice Princess Nel’s feelings. Let me say this clearly—he’s dense!!”
With half his resentment towards Chrono infused in his words, Wilhart asserted.
“Listen, Princess Nel. The most crucial thing in shaking a man’s heart is…it’s that moment when he thinks, ‘Eh, wait a minute, does Nel maybe like me?!’”
“Eh, but… if my feelings aren’t clearly conveyed, isn’t that pointless?”
“Do not rush the matter. Since ancient times, women have been the ones to enrapture men. That means it’s precisely because your true feelings of love haven’t been made clear that men are enticed. It makes them wonder, ‘Do I really like her? I want to know,’ which in turn makes them want to pursue you!”
“Ha!?”
Nel’s eyes widened as if she had noticed something very important.
“Chrono is dense… but at the same time, your concealing and pretending feelings towards him also play a part. As a result, Chrono comes to see you merely as a friend, which ultimately becomes a factor in that conclusion.”
Wilhart had a clear understanding of Chrono’s thought processes.
While Nel was indeed an attractive woman, their differing statuses meant it wouldn’t be so simple for them to become romantically involved. Therefore, to avoid crossing that line, he would always think of “Nel as just a friend,” whether consciously or unconsciously.
Nel’s naturally devoted character further reinforces such thinking. Normally, people would not go to such lengths—yet Nel would. The slight romantic feelings that should have been conveyed are hindered by the thick wall of friendship.
“Have you ever thought that your feelings of love should naturally be conveyed?”
“Uu, why is that…?”
“I’ve heard that women generally want men to read between the lines.”
In fact, it is recognized that in both Spada and Avalon, confessions and proposals are typically made by men. If a woman were to confess, it would imply she was exceedingly passionate in her love.
“However, men are beings who won’t understand unless told.”
Sad but true, the differences between men and women lead to misunderstandings about one another. Yet at the same time, this very difference can also become an alluring quality that cannot be resisted.
“Cast aside the sweet notion of Chrono picking up on your signals. That’s acceptable in a typical romance, but in this situation where you absolutely must capture Chrono’s heart, you should know this method is far worse than engaging in a siege with no reinforcements!!”
“Y-yes!”
“Listen closely, Princess Nel. The first objective in the mission to win over Chrono is to make him think, ‘Eh, wait a minute, does Nel maybe like me?!’”
In essence, this meant shattering Chrono’s delusion of Nel’s overwhelming friendship.
You wouldn’t go to such lengths for just any man… it’s evident that it’s because you like him.
It’s easy to say, but hard to do.
“If you can break through Chrono’s wall of friendship, the situation will shift dramatically in your favor. He will inevitably have to think of Nel as a romantic interest. Once this happens, every little action you’ve taken until now will appear entirely different… and finally, Chrono will realize.”
“Wow, that’s amazing!”
This was indeed the fantastic romantic scenario Nel had dreamed of, where her every action would make Chrono’s heart flutter.
“But… even if we can’t confess directly, how are we supposed to do that…?”
“That’s precisely why you need ‘Prim’s Temptation.’”
Handing the suggestive book to Nel once more.
“B-but…!”
Nel was clearly hesitating. However, this time she didn’t push the book away.
“Nel, you must accept Prim. Only then can you get hold of Chrono’s heart.”
“…I’ll read it.”
Trembling, Nel finally accepted the book.
Wilhart wiped his internal sweat, feeling that he had successfully cleared the first hurdle, but—
“Kyah! No way, I can’t do this!”
Before even reaching the fifth page, “Prim’s Temptation” was cast away again, and he sighed, realizing they still had a long journey ahead.
His mood could be summed up as ‘Wilhart’s Melancholy.’